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    Home » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes » Marble Cake

    Marble Cake

    Published: Mar 13, 2023 by Lucy · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    A fluffy and moist, old fashioned three colour marble cake topped with luscious pink buttercream!

    This classic favourite is made from simple ingredients and takes just 15 minutes to prepare.

    A slice of marble cake on a white plate.

    This easy marbled cake is perfect for kids parties and birthdays, celebrations, bake sales or for a pretty addition to an afternoon tea party.

    Loved by young and old, this swirl cake combines three colours of soft butter cake and is topped by the most delicious light and fluffy pink buttercream.

    Swirled cake on a cake platter with a slice taken out to show the pretty marble pattern.

    Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

    • Easy recipe - a marble cake is not at all complicated, despite it's quite striking appearance.
    • Store cupboard ingredients - marble cake is made from basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen!
    • Kid-friendly - this cake is a fun recipe to make with kids, they'll love swirling the batter to create the marble effect!
    • Three cakes in one - if you can't decide between making a chocolate cake, a pretty pink cake or vanilla butter cake, then this is the cake for you!
    • Conventional or Thermomix - this recipe can be made conventionally or in a Thermomix. You will find both methods is the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    What You Need

    Whip up this beautiful marble cake using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge!

    Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method

    • Unsalted butter – it’s best to use unsalted butter as you can then control the amount of salt you add to the cake. However, you can use salted butter if you prefer (just omit the extra salt).
    • Caster sugar – otherwise known as superfine or ultra-fine sugar. This is a very fine sugar (much finer than granulated sugar) that dissolves easily when creamed together with the butter. 
    • Salt - a small pinch of salt brings out the flavour in baking recipes. However if you use salted butter, leave out the salt.
    • Vanilla extract - or you can use vanilla essence or vanilla paste if you prefer.
    • Eggs - use large eggs (approx 60 grams each), at room temperature.
    • Self raising flour - also known as self-rising flour. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own homemade self-raising flour by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup of plain flour and sifting together. 
    • Pink food colouring - you only need a small drop of food colouring to make a pretty pink cake batter and buttercream frosting!
    • Cocoa powder - use regular, unsweetened cocoa powder.
    • Milk - I prefer to use full-fat or full-cream milk in my baking.
    • Icing sugar mixture - this has a little cornflour added to it to stop it from forming lumps. Icing sugar mixture sets softer than pure icing sugar (which sets hard!) I recommend using icing sugar mixture when making buttercream as it results in a smooth, soft, creamy and spreadable frosting. 
    Individual ingredients weighed and measured and placed in bowls on a bench top.

    Equipment Required

    Simple baking equipment required to make this easy marble butter cake.

    • Thermomix, stand mixer or hand-held beaters.
    • Round 20cm cake tin - greased and lined.
    • Oven - I use a fan-forced oven. If you have a conventional oven, simply increase the temperature by 10-20 degrees celsius.

    Step By Step Instructions

    It takes just 15 minutes to prepare this pretty cake!

    Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method

    Step 1 - Mix The Wet Ingredients

    Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line a round 20cm cake tin with baking paper. 

    Place the butter, caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract into a bowl. Beat together with a stand-mixer or hand-held beaters until pale and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes). This allows air to enter the ingredients to create a cake with a light texture.

    Butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a white mixing bowl.


    Slowly add the eggs one at a time while continuing to beat through, until completely combined. 

    An egg added to creamed butter and sugar.

    Step 2 - Add The Dry Ingredients

    Sift in the self raising flour and gently fold through with a spoon until just combined. Don't over-mix otherwise your cake can turn out heavy.

    Flour in a copper sieve placed over a bowl.

    Step 3 - Colour The Cake Batter

    Divide the mixture equally between three bowls.

    In the first bowl, add one drop of pink food colouring and mix to combine. You only need a small drop of food colouring!

    Pink cake batter in a bowl with a spoon.

    In the second bowl, add the cocoa powder and milk and mix to combine. 

    Chocolate cake batter in a bowl.

    Leave the remaining mixture plain. 

    Plain cake batter with a spoon in the bowl.

    Step 4 - Create The Marble Effect

    Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared baking tin.

    Spoonfuls of vanilla, chocolate and pink cake batter dotted in a round cake tin.

    Use a knife to gently swirl the three colours to create a pattern. 

    Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tested with a skewer.

    The three colours of cake batter swirled to create a marble pattern.

    Step 5 - Make The Buttercream Frosting

    Beat the butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (this will take approximately 5 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often to ensure all the butter is beaten.

    Slowly add the icing sugar mixture, milk, vanilla extract and 1 drop of pink food colouring and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.

    Spread the buttercream frosting over the cooled marble cake.

    Pink frosting spooned on to the cooked cake.

    Expert Tips

    • Tips for making a light and moist marble cake - use butter (not margarine) as butter contains more fat which keeps cakes moist when baked. Beat the butter and sugar together thoroughly as this allows air to enter the ingredients. You will need to beat them for approximately 5 minutes. Beat between each addition of the eggs. Don't beat the mixture once you've added the flour - just gently fold it through with a spoon.
    • How to check if the cake is cooked - start checking if it’s ready approximately 10 minutes before the recipe states. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
    • If you find that your marble cake is browning too much in the oven - simply place a sheet of foil loosely over the top and continue cooking. 
    • Tips for making buttercream - beat the butter until it’s completely pale, soft and creamy – this will take approximately 5 minutes. Stop every minute or so to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure there are no lumps of unbeaten butter. Sift the icing sugar mixture to avoid any lumps. 
    • Storing marble cake - a marble cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days (it’s also fine to leave this cake frosted with buttercream at room temperature for 3 days).
    • Freezing marble cake - you can freeze an un-iced butter cake for up to 2 months (wrap in plastic wrap and then cover in two layers of foil).
    Iced marble cake on a cake stand.

    FAQs

    How do you get the marble effect on marble cake?

    Place spoonfuls of the three different coloured cake mixture into a prepared baking tin. Use a knife to gently swirl the colours together to create a pattern. Don't over mix the colours otherwise you will lose the marble pattern.

    Can I freeze marble cake?

    Yes, you can! Freeze the un-iced cake for up to 2 months (wrap in plastic wrap and then cover in two layers of foil).

    Can I store marble cake in the fridge?

    No, I do not recommend storing a marble cake in the fridge as it will dry out. Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    A close up of piece of colourful cake on a fork.

    Related Recipes

    For more easy and delicious cakes, check out these other popular cake recipes:

    • A slice of rich mud cake with chocolate frosting and blueberries on a white plate.
      The Best Chocolate Mud Cake | Most Popular
    • Apples and cinnamon on top of a round cake.
      Cinnamon Apple Cake
    • Easy Black Forest Cake
      Black Forest Cake | Chocolate, Cherries & Cream
    • A golden brown Thermomix banana cake with thick cream cheese frosting on a white cake stand
      Thermomix Banana Cake

    WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

    A piece of three coloured cake.

    Marble Cake

    A fluffy and moist, old fashioned three colour marble cake topped with luscious pink buttercream!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cakes
    Cuisine: Cake
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 16 serves
    Calories: 416kcal
    Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

    Ingredients

    • 200 g unsalted butter room temperature
    • 200 g (1 cup) caster sugar superfine sugar
    • pinch of salt
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 4 eggs room temperature
    • 200 g (1 ⅓ cups) self raising flour
    • 1 drop pink food colouring
    • 2 tbs cocoa powder sifted
    • 2 tbs milk

    For the buttercream frosting

    • 185 g butter softened
    • 2 ¼ cups (300g) icing sugar mixture see notes
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 drop pink food colouring

    Instructions

    Conventional Method

    • Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
    • Grease and line a round 20cm cake tin with baking paper and set aside. 
    • Place the butter, caster sugar, salt and vanilla extract into a bowl. Beat together with a stand-mixer or hand-held beaters until pale and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
    • Slowly add the eggs (one at a time) while continuing to beat through until completely combined. 
    • Sift in the self raising flour and stir with a spoon until just combined (don't over-mix).
    • Divide the mixture equally between 3 bowls.
      In the first bowl, add 1 drop of food colouring and mix to combine.
      In the second bowl, add the cocoa powder and milk and mix to combine.
      Leave the remaining mixture plain.
    • Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared baking tin. Use a knife to gently swirl the three colours to create a pattern.
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tested with a skewer (see notes). 
    • Leave the cake to cool in the tray for 15 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • To make the icing, beat the butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes).
    • Slowly add the icing sugar mixture, milk, vanilla extract and food colouring and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.
    • Spread the buttercream frosting over the cooled marble cake and serve.

    Thermomix Method

    • Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line a round 20cm cake tin with baking paper and set aside. 
    • Place sugar and butter into the Thermomix bowl and and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5.
    • Add the eggs, salt, vanilla extract and self-raising flour and mix for 15 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then mix for a further 10 seconds, Speed 5.
    • Divide the mixture equally between 3 bowls.
      In the first bowl, add 1 drop of food colouring and mix to combine.
      In the second bowl, add the cocoa powder and milk and mix to combine.
      Leave the remaining mixture plain.
    • Place spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared baking tin. Use a knife to gently swirl the three colours to create a pattern.
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tested with a skewer (see notes). 
    • Leave the cake to cool in the tray for 15 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • To make the icing, place the icing sugar into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 9.
    • Add the butter, milk, vanilla extract and food colouring to the bowl. Mix for 30 seconds on Speed 4.
    • Spread the buttercream frosting over the cooled marble cake and serve.

    Notes

    RECIPE NOTES & TIPS
    INGREDIENTS:
    • Homemade self-raising flour - if you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder to every 1 cup of plain flour and sifting together. 
    • Icing sugar mixture - has a little cornflour added to it which stops it from forming lumps. Icing sugar mixture sets softer than pure icing sugar (which sets hard!) I recommend using icing sugar mixture when making buttercream as it results in a smooth, soft, creamy and spreadable frosting. 
    OTHER TIPS:
    • Tips for making marble cake - use butter (not margarine) as butter contains more fat which keeps cakes moist when baked. Beat the butter and sugar together thoroughly as this allows air to enter the ingredients. Beat the cream and butter for approximately 5 minutes. Beat between each addition of the eggs. Don't beat the mixture once you've added the flour - just gently fold it through with a spoon.
    • How to check if the cake is cooked - start checking if it’s ready approximately 10 minutes before the recipe states. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
    • If you find that your cake is browning too much in the oven - simply place a sheet of foil loosely over the top and continue cooking. 
    • Tips for making buttercream - beat the butter until it’s completely pale, soft and creamy – this will take approximately 5 minutes. Stop every minute or so to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Sift the icing sugar mixture to avoid any lumps. Add 1-2 drops of food colouring if you would like your buttercream to be coloured. 
    • Storing butter cake - butter cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days (it’s also fine to leave a butter cake frosted with buttercream at room temperature for 3 days). Do not store butter cake in the fridge as it will dry out.
    • Freezing - alternatively you can freeze an un-iced butter cake for up to 2 months (wrap in plastic wrap and then cover in two layers of foil). 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 667IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @BakePlaySmileBlog or tag #BakePlaySmile!
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    I’m Lucy! A mum, a wife, a food blogger and a lover of all things to do with food! I love creating delicious, no-fuss Thermomix and conventional recipes the whole family will love. Classic baking favourites, lunch box snacks, quick and easy family dinners and more!

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